Table 1 Concentration of initial chemical matters in leaf litters of representative tree species (g/kg)

Tree species / Total carbon / Total nitrogen / Total phosphorus / Total potassium / Lignin / Cellulose / Crude ash / Tannin / Soluble sugar / Starch / Protein
Manglietiainsignis / 502.39 / 4.43 / 0.18 / 4.58 / 336.17 / 447.21 / 75.99 / 23.53 / 146.79 / 166.25 / 7.78
Micheliaplatypetala / 428.43 / 5.14 / 0.46 / 13.34 / 261.21 / 344.19 / 95.28 / 3.33 / 86.05 / 222.66 / 13.54
Magnoliagrandiflora / 504.42 / 5.82 / 0.42 / 13.19 / 295.05 / 415.90 / 86.77 / 9.22 / 51.35 / 327.00 / 18.70
Photiniadavidsoniae / 420.78 / 2.90 / 0.21 / 5.70 / 330.28 / 363.49 / 104.23 / 21.46 / 140.15 / 295.05 / 16.60
Eriobotryajaponica / 435.52 / 4.58 / 0.29 / 8.24 / 354.53 / 358.19 / 76.89 / 6.56 / 177.80 / 403.57 / 13.22
Cerasustomentosa / 449.73 / 3.84 / 0.29 / 9.45 / 344.87 / 351.42 / 87.33 / 29.76 / 67.19 / 499.59 / 11.62
Litseaelongatavar. subverticillata / 523.07 / 1.60 / 0.25 / 2.90 / 367.80 / 446.58 / 86.71 / 30.32 / 7.04 / 463.19 / 9.28
Phoebesheareri / 518.29 / 0.68 / 0.18 / 1.48 / 324.01 / 405.19 / 93.11 / 31.64 / 9.17 / 455.99 / 13.91
Cinnamomumcamphora / 464.17 / 6.74 / 0.37 / 6.79 / 321.56 / 382.78 / 62.36 / 6.09 / 168.52 / 442.25 / 13.90
Elaeocarpusdecipiens / 381.10 / 8.32 / 0.56 / 17.82 / 181.75 / 313.31 / 42.68 / 3.00 / 32.43 / 110.75 / 17.06
Sloaneahemsleyana / 418.27 / 6.33 / 0.54 / 15.22 / 205.94 / 351.79 / 58.04 / 3.93 / 94.58 / 157.86 / 20.19
Cyclobalanopsis
glauca / 548.11 / 0.89 / 0.29 / 4.76 / 330.04 / 441.75 / 77.45 / 18.06 / 51.31 / 402.77 / 13.92
Quercusfabri / 458.49 / 4.77 / 0.36 / 9.14 / 328.02 / 425.33 / 66.89 / 29.36 / 50.16 / 231.91 / 15.30
Ligustrumlucidum / 434.32 / 3.49 / 0.23 / 7.15 / 271.98 / 380.80 / 104.47 / 12.50 / 140.27 / 274.61 / 14.89
Osmanthus fragrans / 519.13 / 5.51 / 0.44 / 12.74 / 354.45 / 385.99 / 64.61 / 8.11 / 88.69 / 222.88 / 10.32
Ilexchinensis / 483.29 / 5.57 / 0.52 / 13.25 / 321.67 / 315.86 / 49.14 / 16.24 / 123.40 / 245.74 / 12.90
Dalbergiahancei / 491.79 / 1.37 / 0.23 / 8.81 / 361.13 / 465.01 / 70.90 / 28.34 / 156.60 / 352.25 / 10.83
Daphniphyllum
macropodum / 364.31 / 5.32 / 0.58 / 17.26 / 238.58 / 356.12 / 71.08 / 4.14 / 164.94 / 276.66 / 17.64
Myricarubra / 465.53 / 5.38 / 0.35 / 12.99 / 284.59 / 320.28 / 40.51 / 4.10 / 152.50 / 125.88 / 15.91
Iteayunnanensis / 375.77 / 4.10 / 0.28 / 10.50 / 342.94 / 397.96 / 72.75 / 17.07 / 112.45 / 359.42 / 13.59
Viburnumchinshanense / 384.18 / 4.43 / 0.40 / 19.84 / 241.90 / 363.30 / 87.21 / 9.43 / 131.19 / 279.41 / 19.81

Table 2 Concentration of initial chemical matters in leaf litters of additional ninety-six of tree species(g/kg)

SN / Species name / Total carbon / Total nitrogen / Total phosphorus / Total potassium / Lignin / Cellulose / Tannin / Starch / Protein
1 / Moruswittiorum / 357.14 / 10.27 / 0.93 / 15.41 / 150.92 / 400.66 / 3.73 / 477.20 / 11.29
2 / Morusaustralisvar. linearipartita / 312.90 / 9.35 / 0.61 / 10.86 / 232.21 / 393.52 / 2.90 / 510.54 / 14.08
3 / Broussonetiapapyifera / 351.74 / 7.92 / 0.82 / 8.97 / 235.58 / 395.66 / 12.05 / 322.46 / 15.90
4 / Ficusheteromorpha / 265.67 / 9.21 / 0.61 / 6.83 / 127.40 / 416.81 / 0.94 / 144.02 / 14.41
5 / Linderaglauca / 424.87 / 9.01 / 0.64 / 6.37 / 317.39 / 398.45 / 5.23 / 289.11 / 14.29
6 / Cinnamomumbodinieri / 545.67 / 0.24 / 0.40 / 7.97 / 304.07 / 402.81 / 3.31 / 401.47 / 17.11
7 / Linderacommunis / 400.97 / 5.91 / 0.29 / 5.21 / 328.26 / 428.90 / 4.38 / 80.54 / 14.90
8 / Machilusmicrocarpa / 410.38 / 3.58 / 0.27 / 2.09 / 301.68 / 431.42 / 3.55 / 126.10 / 14.14
9 / Machilusrehderi / 422.61 / 5.24 / 0.26 / 2.79 / 312.65 / 420.70 / 3.13 / 207.98 / 7.82
10 / Cinnamomumwilsonii / 421.38 / 8.97 / 0.54 / 10.15 / 284.06 / 186.59 / 4.25 / 257.86 / 4.19
11 / Litseapungens / 501.87 / 7.10 / 0.51 / 14.46 / 311.55 / 267.13 / 10.47 / 219.31 / 15.90
12 / Machilusleptophylla / 496.49 / 7.26 / 0.35 / 3.74 / 298.16 / 293.91 / 10.09 / 273.95 / 7.05
13 / Cinnamomumporrectum / 430.70 / 4.36 / 0.21 / 2.31 / 308.55 / 429.93 / 2.73 / 135.76 / 7.27
14 / Daphniphyllumcalycinum / 389.08 / 6.61 / 0.42 / 11.82 / 191.15 / 372.10 / 2.38 / 275.69 / 9.89
15 / Rapaneakwangsiensis / 277.59 / 7.81 / 0.43 / 8.78 / 298.88 / 419.69 / 1.95 / 227.04 / 12.13
16 / Myrsineafricana / 437.49 / 6.74 / 0.42 / 16.45 / 270.78 / 299.64 / 6.68 / 199.94 / 9.55
17 / Lyoniaovalifoliavar. elliptica / 363.88 / 6.52 / 0.50 / 3.18 / 284.94 / 392.36 / 4.75 / 151.39 / 20.28
18 / Vacciniumbracteatum / 447.08 / 6.62 / 0.32 / 6.69 / 301.72 / 448.18 / 4.57 / 182.96 / 6.08
19 / Rhododendronrivulare / 386.98 / 0.37 / 0.32 / 4.70 / 263.46 / 427.42 / 4.13 / 97.98 / 17.56
20 / Acerwangchii / 375.37 / 7.59 / 0.41 / 8.57 / 318.80 / 405.39 / 23.25 / 164.75 / 15.69
21 / Acersycopseoides / 429.15 / 5.78 / 0.44 / 3.41 / 307.54 / 417.26 / 7.49 / 133.76 / 8.98
22 / Acerbuergerianum / 633.91 / 6.83 / 0.44 / 10.53 / 251.35 / 402.01 / 13.44 / 163.14 / 11.39
23 / Dendrobenthamiajaponicavar. chinensis / 354.47 / 8.45 / 0.78 / 13.85 / 169.03 / 424.90 / 14.29 / 234.99 / 12.30
24 / Toricelliaangulata / 424.79 / 12.95 / 0.83 / 11.84 / 218.87 / 395.83 / 14.98 / 106.81 / 8.59
25 / Swidawilsoniana / 372.74 / 6.31 / 0.42 / 7.40 / 180.93 / 237.00 / 13.23 / 136.69 / 19.62
26 / Kmeriaseptentrionalis / 337.96 / 0.31 / 0.63 / 18.50 / 277.78 / 426.80 / 2.97 / 160.30 / 14.43
27 / Parakmerialotungensis / 411.03 / 3.38 / 0.65 / 2.10 / 301.04 / 392.70 / 3.39 / 98.66 / 12.43
28 / Tsoongiodendronodorum / 423.31 / 10.33 / 0.50 / 3.60 / 295.43 / 368.76 / 3.95 / 164.25 / 4.35
29 / Magnoliadelavayi / 351.01 / 3.58 / 0.28 / 1.70 / 246.70 / 419.30 / 3.78 / 151.54 / 7.99
30 / Hoveniaacerba / 561.00 / 11.64 / 0.57 / 17.80 / 266.25 / 336.05 / 3.10 / 368.27 / 13.91
31 / Rhamnushemsleyana / 346.36 / 14.18 / 0.69 / 18.09 / 281.46 / 409.60 / 4.54 / 242.22 / 14.82
32 / Rhamnusrosthornii / 394.65 / 13.53 / 0.63 / 19.72 / 302.82 / 424.90 / 7.81 / 166.34 / 12.25
33 / Brassaiopsisglomerulata / 380.20 / 0.12 / 0.71 / 16.02 / 281.39 / 437.83 / 1.21 / 471.35 / 14.86
34 / Mahoniafortunei / 482.14 / 0.23 / 0.53 / 10.95 / 263.36 / 453.07 / 13.56 / 128.63 / 14.41
35 / Berberisjulianae / 436.81 / 5.69 / 0.32 / 7.67 / 192.67 / 397.25 / 8.87 / 117.15 / 6.74
36 / Millettiapachycarpa / 399.91 / 13.77 / 0.62 / 14.19 / 282.20 / 395.45 / 9.60 / 168.12 / 17.55
37 / Indigoferaesquirolii / 359.79 / 14.52 / 0.79 / 6.51 / 196.92 / 381.89 / 3.00 / 102.94 / 16.67
38 / Cladrastisplatycarpa / 411.98 / 10.72 / 0.66 / 6.07 / 286.82 / 419.45 / 3.08 / 111.72 / 16.41
39 / Bauhiniapurpurea / 429.50 / 12.22 / 0.74 / 12.04 / 264.51 / 429.23 / 2.92 / 98.04 / 14.44
40 / Sophora mairei / 401.50 / 10.42 / 0.68 / 9.39 / 301.06 / 310.70 / 8.18 / 54.42 / 11.67
41 / Cercisglabra / 401.59 / 10.55 / 0.75 / 16.75 / 297.99 / 235.59 / 4.17 / 109.51 / 4.42
42 / Ilexmacrocarpa / 392.59 / 9.01 / 0.42 / 12.19 / 288.71 / 387.99 / 1.40 / 91.62 / 13.72
43 / Ilexcornuta / 346.03 / 0.30 / 0.68 / 12.06 / 291.69 / 423.96 / 3.93 / 124.77 / 17.50
44 / Ilexcorallina / 475.26 / 3.05 / 0.77 / 3.49 / 273.10 / 436.02 / 12.47 / 207.79 / 11.46
45 / Ilexcorallinavar. aberrans / 492.27 / 4.61 / 0.22 / 9.37 / 283.78 / 402.40 / 10.45 / 205.44 / 12.54
46 / Buddlejaofficinalis / 514.33 / 12.60 / 0.92 / 13.38 / 269.42 / 395.50 / 4.50 / 247.27 / 12.02
47 / Sycopsisdunnii / 376.53 / 4.37 / 0.25 / 4.11 / 310.48 / 463.68 / 7.76 / 98.26 / 5.57
48 / Liquidambarformosana / 497.59 / 6.02 / 0.68 / 6.35 / 317.80 / 444.34 / 12.19 / 60.40 / 12.97
49 / Eurycorymbuscavaleriei / 381.11 / 16.75 / 0.94 / 13.02 / 311.39 / 418.47 / 2.82 / 212.61 / 11.23
50 / Handeliodendronbodinieri / 410.90 / 9.02 / 0.18 / 8.10 / 325.32 / 403.08 / 12.27 / 218.99 / 18.92
51 / Toddaliaasiatica / 419.10 / 7.50 / 0.40 / 1.81 / 297.10 / 398.75 / 4.84 / 167.88 / 15.76
52 / Citrusmaxima / 334.62 / 12.26 / 0.60 / 7.75 / 188.34 / 458.34 / 2.48 / 193.29 / 20.16
53 / Murrayaexotica / 431.07 / 11.07 / 0.69 / 17.44 / 230.92 / 449.59 / 2.98 / 88.10 / 9.45
54 / Evodiarutaecarpa / 393.63 / 12.69 / 0.75 / 14.40 / 188.34 / 425.74 / 3.94 / 143.76 / 8.66
55 / Camelliajaponica / 385.31 / 3.10 / 0.30 / 7.90 / 284.23 / 411.94 / 3.42 / 157.72 / 4.68
56 / Euryanitida / 389.46 / 4.25 / 0.39 / 5.24 / 236.82 / 326.21 / 3.44 / 226.28 / 3.77
57 / Camelliasinensis / 407.86 / 13.87 / 0.70 / 16.04 / 306.17 / 341.29 / 7.68 / 138.08 / 12.89
58 / Camelliaoleifera / 426.32 / 3.38 / 0.19 / 7.76 / 278.18 / 353.95 / 5.89 / 214.56 / 8.04
59 / Euryaloquaiana / 423.04 / 4.39 / 0.21 / 7.40 / 197.89 / 441.02 / 8.98 / 164.88 / 9.30
60 / Cotinuscoggygriavar. glaucophylla / 432.09 / 4.09 / 0.32 / 9.46 / 267.93 / 348.08 / 13.66 / 144.69 / 23.71
61 / Rhuschinensis / 689.07 / 3.56 / 0.28 / 19.34 / 291.15 / 451.31 / 8.09 / 68.12 / 9.45
62 / Ligustrumsinense / 414.82 / 0.35 / 0.52 / 18.44 / 307.43 / 286.04 / 5.90 / 137.25 / 17.22
63 / Jasminumnudiflorum / 405.07 / 5.97 / 0.50 / 12.29 / 279.05 / 277.66 / 5.37 / 223.01 / 9.93
64 / Ligustrumquihoui / 412.36 / 7.53 / 0.84 / 19.62 / 304.39 / 314.43 / 7.39 / 255.51 / 3.85
65 / Ulmuscastaneifolia / 498.03 / 7.00 / 0.46 / 9.05 / 304.42 / 411.23 / 3.97 / 208.93 / 5.48
66 / Celtissinensis / 456.43 / 7.45 / 0.51 / 6.86 / 329.87 / 440.03 / 5.14 / 267.22 / 7.93
67 / Ehretiamacrophyllavar. glabrescens / 351.53 / 9.28 / 0.55 / 23.49 / 267.47 / 457.48 / 6.44 / 235.61 / 19.72
68 / Paulowniatomentosa / 400.96 / 12.94 / 0.18 / 9.14 / 286.34 / 405.90 / 13.57 / 75.67 / 11.79
69 / Brandisiahancei / 427.67 / 4.83 / 0.55 / 17.83 / 157.64 / 444.19 / 3.96 / 123.39 / 6.64
70 / Pittosporumglabratum / 375.77 / 5.05 / 0.32 / 14.93 / 210.90 / 430.39 / 5.29 / 182.91 / 15.33
71 / Euonymusnitidus / 405.27 / 7.05 / 0.30 / 7.82 / 195.96 / 420.64 / 12.55 / 95.73 / 23.29
72 / Euonymusjaponicus / 448.59 / 3.20 / 0.27 / 15.90 / 262.65 / 428.28 / 4.72 / 279.13 / 7.51
73 / Populuscanadensis / 389.18 / 10.29 / 0.54 / 15.02 / 287.77 / 574.28 / 5.97 / 105.08 / 16.05
74 / Mussaendapubescens / 395.30 / 11.70 / 1.00 / 17.35 / 313.61 / 396.60 / 1.95 / 133.33 / 14.48
75 / Sabiaschumanniana / 349.50 / 5.59 / 0.25 / 2.81 / 281.23 / 401.15 / 2.29 / 56.72 / 13.37
76 / Rhapisexcelsa / 492.54 / 10.57 / 0.62 / 5.75 / 355.26 / 398.76 / 4.08 / 202.20 / 8.15
77 / Sapiumsebiferum / 435.72 / 3.86 / 0.55 / 4.67 / 177.92 / 403.09 / 13.78 / 189.10 / 12.85
78 / Mallotusrepandus / 415.90 / 12.43 / 0.65 / 13.94 / 291.28 / 425.76 / 9.81 / 64.66 / 9.65
79 / Glochidionpuberum / 393.59 / 9.88 / 0.69 / 9.53 / 311.49 / 425.75 / 9.46 / 52.59 / 15.89
80 / Camptothecaacuminata / 414.56 / 8.84 / 0.76 / 13.90 / 277.93 / 273.58 / 10.82 / 207.84 / 8.19
81 / Elaeagnuslanceolata / 420.35 / 9.63 / 0.26 / 8.67 / 325.55 / 462.35 / 1.63 / 58.35 / 6.61
82 / Elaeagnuspungens / 459.68 / 12.69 / 0.29 / 7.76 / 310.73 / 445.42 / 2.81 / 97.27 / 6.29
83 / Xylosmaracemosum / 408.08 / 6.53 / 0.31 / 14.00 / 217.56 / 376.85 / 8.85 / 257.34 / 10.00
84 / Diospyroskaki / 369.42 / 11.98 / 0.54 / 16.80 / 303.87 / 394.53 / 5.22 / 104.76 / 12.00
85 / Platanus acerifolia / 390.55 / 8.69 / 0.69 / 13.93 / 305.33 / 319.10 / 4.58 / 187.08 / 10.96
86 / Lithocarpusglaber / 401.32 / 0.18 / 0.65 / 7.76 / 342.57 / 403.82 / 2.22 / 124.17 / 13.81
87 / Castanopsis rargesn / 505.65 / 7.49 / 0.39 / 4.23 / 353.43 / 366.15 / 12.34 / 56.98 / 18.59
88 / Photiniaserrulata / 387.96 / 0.34 / 0.32 / 10.20 / 290.03 / 406.18 / 15.77 / 565.84 / 12.85
89 / Cerasusserrulata / 348.45 / 2.15 / 0.87 / 18.69 / 235.89 / 425.57 / 1.13 / 209.90 / 14.09
90 / Chaenomelessinensis / 351.97 / 5.67 / 0.50 / 3.79 / 312.35 / 416.59 / 2.85 / 93.44 / 16.00
91 / Prinsepiautilis / 398.04 / 8.40 / 1.04 / 11.14 / 207.17 / 177.05 / 3.56 / 256.33 / 3.96
92 / Pyracanthafortuneana / 442.36 / 4.91 / 0.28 / 1.29 / 440.09 / 288.36 / 3.75 / 86.29 / 9.58
93 / Rosacymosa / 409.93 / 7.30 / 0.50 / 16.83 / 248.10 / 442.79 / 14.01 / 89.60 / 15.60
94 / Viburnumhenryi / 524.44 / 5.10 / 0.43 / 12.13 / 266.48 / 416.14 / 3.02 / 120.10 / 4.09
95 / Viburnumpropinquum / 418.56 / 3.44 / 0.18 / 7.49 / 272.86 / 427.42 / 4.95 / 253.05 / 6.42
96 / Viburnumdilatatum / 427.14 / 9.80 / 0.50 / 15.29 / 263.99 / 444.34 / 5.96 / 132.44 / 6.43

Note: Due to the number of plant species, we employed three collection methods of leaf litter: nylon tulles fixed under the canopy (a few species); during peak litter fall in the autumn, fresh leaves falling from the deciduous species were collected from the floor under the canopy; excising the senesced leaf that was still partly green (a large number of species).

Table 3 Annual decomposition rates of leaf litter at three non-karst sites for comparison with the 21 representative species and 96 predicted species in the study

Wet tropical site (Wieder et al. 2009) / The temperate Pacific Northwest (Valachovic et al. 2004) / Subtropical island of Japan(Xu and Hirata 2005).
Species name / Decomposition rate(%) / Species name / Decomposition rate(%) / Species name / Decomposition rate(%)
Bulk litter / 85.49 / Thuja plicata / 23.66 / C. sieboldii / 41.14
Brosimum utile / 73.02 / Pseudotsuga menziesii / 23.66 / D. glaucescens / 55.96
Cecropia obtusifolia / 61.71 / Pinus ponderosa / 26.66 / D. racemosum / 29.53
Ceiba pententara / 92.42 / Quercus garryana / 26.66 / Q. miyagii / 36.87
Huberodendron allenii / 80.21 / Acer macrophyllum / 28.82 / R. neriifolia / 35.6
Hyeronima alchorneoides / 57.68 / Populus trichocarpa / 28.82 / S. confusa / 33.63
Inga spp.[Fabaceae/Mim] / 80.21 / Abies amabilis / 30.23 / S. wallichii / 46.74
Manilikara staminodella / 62.84 / Arbutus menziesii / 32.29
Pouteria lecythidicarpa / 67.04 / Gaultheria shallon / 33.63
Qualea paraensis / 67.7 / Rhododendron macrophyllum / 38.74
Schizolobium parahyba / 96.08 / Castanopsis chrysophylla / 41.73
Symphonia globulifera / 88.12 / Ceanothus velutinus / 41.73
Alnus sinuata / 42.88
Alnus rubra / 45.12
Acer circinatum / 55.96
Cornus nuttallii / 63.94

Mean annual temperatures are 26.5oC, 9.6oC and 21.8oC, and mean annual precipitation is 4490 mm, 1869 mm and 2860 mm at the tropical site, temperate site and subtropical island site, respectively. Leaf litter chemistry has been carefully demonstrated in the cited references in the table.

Table 4Comparisons of annual decomposition rates of the 21 representative species and 96 predicted species with the annual decomposition rates of leaf litter of the three studies (table 3 in the supplemental material)

Study sites / Means of annual decomposition rates (%) / 21 representative species / 96 predicted species
Total sample number / F-value / P-value / Total sample number / F-value / P-value
Wet tropical site (Wieder et al. 2009) / 76.04±12.30 (s.d) / 33 / 61.735 / 0.000 / 107 / 81.742 / 0.O00
The temperate Pacific Northwest (Valachovic et al. 2004) / 36.53±11.22(s.d) / 37 / 2.860 / 0.099 / 113 / 49.450 / 0.000
Subtropical island of Japan (Xu and Hirata 2005). / 40.00±8.29(e.d) / 28 / 0.382 / 0.542 / 104 / 17.488 / 0.000

Means of annual decomposition rates of 21 representative species and 96 predicted species were respectively 42.67%±11.07(s.d); 52.64 %±8.20 (s.d).